They discover that a popular antibiotic can effectively fight sexually transmitted diseases

As rates of sexually transmitted infections continue to soar in the United States, More and more doctors are prescribing an antibiotic commonly used to prevent chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis infections.

It’s Doxy-PEP, or doxycycline, an antibiotic also known as the “morning after pill” that may prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), according to a new study. draft recommendations released Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in this country.

This announcement comes after growing preliminary research indicates that Gay and bisexual men who took doxycycline within the first three days after unprotected sex were significantly less likely to get chlamydia, syphilis or gonorrhea compared to those who did not take the drug after sex.

Taking doxycycline acts as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), which means taking medication within 72 hours of possible exposure to a sexually transmitted disease (STD) to prevent it.

Now doxycycline “has demonstrated benefits in reducing chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis infections and represents a new approach to addressing STI prevention. in populations at higher risk of contracting these infections,” the statement said.

STIs are skyrocketing worldwide, according to the most recent data, where gonorrhea, syphilis and congenital syphilis exceeded pre-pandemic levels in 2021 .

According to information from the CDC, in the United States, There are at least 2.5 million reported cases of the four major STIs (the three mentioned above and chlamydia), a number which has increased by 4% since 2020.

So far, the CDC limits antibiotic use to groups of Americans most affected by the STI epidemic: gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, and transgender women.

If approved, CDC should notify doctors prescribe a dose of up to 200 mg of doxycycline For people who have had unsafe oral, vaginal, or anal sex, take it as soon as possible within the first 72 hours.

“Revolutionary innovations will be needed to reverse the STI epidemic. And Doxy-PEP is the first major new STI prevention intervention we’ve had in decades,” said Dr. Mermin, director of the CDC’s National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, in an interview with CBSNews.

The agency acknowledges that Doxy-PEP “should also be effective” in other populations. However, the CDC concluded that more data is needed before deciding on general recommendations regarding other groups of people, such as cisgender women.

There doxycycline It is a cost-effective antibiotic that has been used for over 40 years to treat various bacterial infections. Its main action is to inhibit the growth of bacteria and fight infections. It has been used in the treatment of conditions such as acne, chlamydia, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

A study published in April in The New England Journal of Medicine highlighted the effectiveness of doxycycline, which reduces the likelihood of diagnosis of gonorrhea, chlamydia or syphilis in two-thirds among men who have sex with men.

Researchers found that every three months, the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases was two-thirds lower among those who took doxyPEP within 72 hours of unprotected sex.

The same month, the California Department of Public Health published guidelines for healthcare providers who recommended the medicine to men who have sex with men or transgender women who have had at least one sexually transmitted bacterial disease in the past 12 months.

The remaining question is whether doxycycline will cause antibiotic resistance. In meeting organized by the National Association of County and City Health Officials last year, lExperts have warned that it is possible that widespread use of Doxy-PEP could also cause “collateral damage” by increasing resistance to pathogens other than STIs.

The CDC plans to monitor antibiotic resistance and update guidelines as necessary, Mermin told CBS News. “Important questions remain about the potential risks,” he added. The CDC is accepting comments on the recommendations for 45 days until November 16. A final version is expected to be released early next year.

According to an article from Qué Pasa, the figures for Ministry of Health show a sustained increase in newly diagnosed cases of sexually transmitted infections over the past five years.

The STI reporting rate at the national level, taking into account reports issued for HIV/AIDS, syphilis, gonorrhea, hepatitis B and C, during the period 2017-2021 corresponded to a total of 70,660 cases reported . In general terms, There is a predominance of notifications among men over women.

According to the UFRO specialist, this is due to people’s risky behavior and lack of knowledge.

Among risky behaviors we can find:

• Having multiple sexual partners
• Do not use a condom.
• In the case of human papillomavirus (HPV), there is a vaccine that many people have not had access to or have not been vaccinated.
• Lack of education regarding sexual behavior.
• Not being in the habit of taking care of yourself annual screening.

According to MINSAL Disease Prevention and Control Division , The most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Chile are :

• Condyloma acuminata (low-risk HPV infection).
• Syphilis.
• Gonorrhea.
• Herpes
• Chlamydia infection.

But in recent years An increase was observed with a predominance of syphilis with 46.7% of cases ; followed by HIV, with 30%, and gonorrhea, with about 15%.

Regarding the distribution of notifications issued during the 2017-2021 period, a predominance of syphilis was observed with approximately 50% of cases; followed by HIV, with 30%, and gonorrhea, with about 15%. In fourth and fifth place are hepatitis B and C, respectively.

The most effective measure to prevent STIs is correct use of condoms and “in all sexual relations, whether vaginal, anal or oral” explains Ausset.